Christian school teacher sacked for refusing to use pupil's pronouns

Sacked Christian primary school teacher taking legal action against council after she was dismissed for refusing to use eight-year-old pupil’s trans pronouns

• The eight-year-old pupil transitioned from a girl to a boy and uses male pronouns
• The teacher will face Nottinghamshire County council at employment tribunal

A Christian primary school teacher who was sacked after refusing to use a pupil’s trans pronouns is taking legal action against the council for unfair dismissal and religious discrimination.  

The teacher told The Telegraph that the school had helped the eight-year-old girl transition into a boy two years earlier, demanding that staff use the child’s preferred male pronouns and male name. 

The primary-school pupil was also allowed to use the boys’ toilets and dressing rooms, according to the now dismissed teacher, which became a significant concern for her. 

The teacher, who cannot be named to protect the identity of the child, said that she raised concerns for the eight-year-old’s welfare, in line with the whistleblowing policy, but was rebuffed by the school. 

The school advised the teacher in writing that they would be removing the child from her class, ‘to safeguard him from any potential harm’, according to the teacher’s employment tribunal claim.

The teacher told The Telegraph that the school had helped the eight-year-old girl transition into a boy two years earlier, demanding that staff use the child’s preferred male pronouns and male name.

The Christian teacher, who is now working in a sandwich shop since her dismissal, claimed she was given a warning that acting on her ‘personal beliefs’ could be a ‘direct breach of GDPR and an act of direct discrimination’.

She has now been forced to take legal action against Nottinghamshire County Council, which runs the school, for alleged unfair dismissal. 

She added that the school put her on suspension and under disciplinary investigation for her alleged ‘ongoing refusal to follow a management instruction’.

After the suspension was lifted, the teacher agreed with the school to limit her encounters with the child and to avoid using any specific pronouns when addressing the eight-year-old, should she have any contact. 

But in fear of the child’s welfare, the teacher once again raised her concerns, explaining that the gender transition had the risk of causing detrimental effects on the child’s health and welfare. 

Her concerns were struck down by the school’s governors and the local authority. 

The teacher claimed that she was sacked for gross misconduct after sharing details that identified the child with her lawyers while preparing for a judicial review claim against the school and the council. 

She alleged that the school viewed this as an alleged confidentiality breach, reporting her to the Teacher Regulation Agency, which could result in her facing a lifelong ban from her profession.

The primary-school pupil was also allowed to use the boys’ toilets and dressing rooms, according to the now dismissed teacher, which became a significant concern for her (Pictured: Stock image of bathroom in school)

The teacher told the Telegraph: ‘Teachers are being bullied not to question trans-affirming policies when evidence shows that the actual result of the approach is to put the welfare of children at serious risk’

Andrea Williams, chief executive of the Christian Legal Centre, which is supporting the teacher’s case, told the Telegraph: ‘This story exposes the confusion and untruths being embedded in primary schools which are developing into a public health crisis.

‘The Department for Education must look closely at this case and take appropriate action to protect teachers, who often hold Christian beliefs on these issues, from being hounded out of the profession for opposing or even questioning transgender ideology.’

A Department for Education spokesman said: ‘We do not comment on individual cases.

‘The Education Secretary is working closely with the Minister for Women and Equalities to provide guidance for schools in this area, based on the overriding principle of the wellbeing and safeguarding of children.

‘We expect schools to carefully consider their approach to these matters, to ensure that they take the right decision from the point of view of safeguarding children, accounting for parents’ views and those of medical experts where relevant.’

Nottinghamshire County Council did not respond to the Telegraph’s request for comment.

The employment tribunal is expected to hear the claim in August.

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